Page 77 of Out of the Shadow

“Got my invite right here.” She holds up her cell phone. “Kaitlyn invited me.”

You’ve got to be kidding. “For someone who didn’t want anything to do with the show, you certainly insinuated your way into several episodes.”

“Whose clients do you think they were using, Angela? Clearly not yours.”

I suck in a breath. I’d never stopped to question where the show was getting so many clients. In the back of my mind, I guess I thought they put out ads or something. This sucks, but I have to brazen it out. “It’s Angie,” I correct. “And all of the clients who were filmed enjoyed the Russo Real Estate touch.”

“Especially when that touch came from King.” She tilts her head toward my co-star. “I taught him everything he knows.”

“What?” Her last salvo strikes a chord in me. “You were nowhere to be found when he was learning the ropes fromme.”

Poppy throws her head back and laughs. “That’s rich. We spent many a night together discussing the right way to sell real estate. In between rolling in the sheets, of course.”

My heartrate picks up at her obvious lies. He spends his nights withme. I want to throttle her for even thinking about King that way. He’smine.

Oh, no.

This can’t be happening.

My hand raises in front of my mouth.No, no, no.

“What are you two ladies talking about?” King appears at my side.

Tall. Built. Gorgeous. Tender. Caring. Vulnerable.

Marlene was right. I can’t do casual.

Poppy places her hand on his strong forearm and says something. I can’t understand a single word. Shaking my head, I murmur, “I feel sick,” and rush away from the pair. I don’t stop moving until I’m lying on my bed with a box of tissues.

I grab my left wrist and Dante’s name swims before my eyes. My eyes travel up to my rings. How could this have happened?

Tears stream down my face. I’ve fallen for King. It’s not only about the sex. It’s barely about the sex. I know about his deepest pains and sorrows, and he knows about mine. I want to make him see that family doesn’t have to be a four-letter word. I want to laugh with him. I want to cry with him.

I want to run the agency with him.

But I was supposed to do that with Dante.

Dante’s the one I pledged myself to. Dante’s my soul mate, even if he’s not here anymore. I shouldn’t have ever let anything come between us. I never will again.

King

I PARK MYcar in the agency’s lot. For the tenth time, I recheck my texts with Angie from last night.

Where did you go? I’m waiting for you by the bar.

Fifteen minutes later:Felt sick, had to leave.

Can I do anything? Should I bring you some chicken soup?

No. Stay away.

I sigh. Is she actually sick? It seems a little off, given that she seemed perfectly fine before Poppy showed up.

Pocketing my cell phone, I pick up the quart of wonton soup—my twist on the idea of the Jewish remedy for sickness—and head into the office. Blaine and Kaitlyn have asked for an end of season debrief about the show, and sure enough, they’re standing by the conference room door. No sign of Angie.

“Hey Marlene.” I place the soup container on top of her desk, kiss her cheek and she taps my shoulder. “Hope you had fun last night.”

“I did. Have to hand it to Let’s Do It! They really know how to throw a party.”

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